Allgowlden City was one of the most beautiful buildings I’d ever seen. Jennifer only let me visit when I came of age, and I’d spent my childhood wondering what it was like. Of course, I’d had no idea it was a brothel.

Two stories tall, taking up a small space near the docks, it had ivy vines trailing along the walls, cloth drapes on all the doors stained glass windows depicting scenes from history, and of course, the prostitutes that frequented the building.

Jennifer hired people of every species and origin to work for her. While those who worked in the more ‘unsavory’ aspects of her business were beautiful in every sense of the word, she also hired people to cook, serve, and clean. She was all about equal employment, and those who worked for her tended to be safer than they would have been in other cities while doing the same work.

That was where we were headed too.

Katya rode alongside us on Mountain, finally settling the theory in my mind that he was her mount. The rest of us rode in a carriage, led by a contingent of guards. If any of the armor-clad men and women guarding Katya realized where we were headed, they kept it to themselves.

When we got there, a small group of Jennifer’s ‘employees’ immediately assembled into two lines. Noticeably, all of them were fully dressed. Beautifully dressed of course, with flowing dresses and well pressed shirts and trousers for each person, but at least there were no scandalous sections of skin showing. Apparently Jennifer had warned them that today’s guest of honor was more innocent than most.

Richard stepped out first, his face showing relief when he noticed the workers were fully dressed. Katya and Mountain came around the carriage, shocking the workers when the massive dog and armored girl appeared.

Jennifer followed, looking as regal as a queen in a flowing green dress that shimmered in the torchlights. Compared to Richard, Katya, and Jennifer, who looked like they were headed to a kings court, Arthur, Hasha, and I stood out thanks to our simple shirts and trousers.

I was fine with that. Seeing Katya smiling as people gazed in awe at the beautiful girl wearing the armor set I’d created, I felt a fierce sense of pride.

“Come on lad,” Arthur grabbed my arm and pulled me along. “And stop smiling like that. We get it, you did well. Now come on.”

I smirked, but acceded his point. We walked into the brothel, with the workers on each side bowing down as we came. The guards took spots at the door, and I could see more moving off, possibly to defend other areas. Then we entered.

The brothel itself had red for a theme, considering the season, with long banners and drapes hanging from the ceiling, plush carpets, cups and plates, and paintings all following this theme. Jennifer liked to change the colors for things like holidays and such. The main lobby only had a small table in the center, rather than the dozens of them that was the norm. Trays of food and drink sat on the table, and two men and three woman stood nearby in simple clothing that flattered their appearance. Unusually, the room was rather empty.

“Considering the occasion, I thought it best that we might celebrate alone,” Jennifer said.

“Probably for the best,” Richard agreed. He pulled a chair from the table for Jennifer. She arched an eyebrow, smirked, and sat down. “I’d like for Katya to get an early start tomorrow, so only three hours here.”

Hasha, with all the elegance Richard had displayed, pulled out a chair for Katya. “I must say, this will be nice,” the wizard said as Katya sat with a giggle. “To be able to truly have a chance to talk.”

“We could have talked at the shop,” I grunted. “Eaten there too.”

“Oh please,” Jennifer rolled her eyes. “If it wasn’t for the more refined minds around you, you’d never leave that shop of yours.”

“Nothing wrong with a bit of work,” I said back, reaching out for a pitcher of water.

“A bit, yes,” Hasha sat down as well. “But too much will turn you into… well, Richard I suppose.”

“What?” the dour-faced man glared at Hasha, then grabbed a cup from Katya’s hand before she could take a sip. He swigged it, waiting a moment, then handed it to her.

“She can’t be poisoned,” I said with a quirk of my eyebrow when I noticed the motion, Arthur sitting next to me as I did. “She has runes against that in her armor.”

Richard rolled his eyes. “Light orcling, you say that word too damn much. Runes, runes, runes!”

“Runes,” I said.

Katya giggled, then gave her caretaker an innocent look when he turned to her. Richard sighed.

“Still, thanks for that.”

“No problem.”

As Richard and I tried to pretend we liked each other, Katya was looking around happily. “This place is so beautiful Jennifer!”

“Why thank you dearie,” Jennifer raised her cup. “Well, let’s start with a toast. To the Prophesied Child, and her armorer!”

“Here here!” Arthur, with three bottles of alcohol hidden beside him where Katya couldn’t see them and a poison rune glowing under his shirt, clinked his wooden cup to Jennifer’s. We all joined in, laughing at the enthusiasm in his voice.

The cups clinked, and Mountain barked happily. The waiters began revealing food, and the party began in full.

------

“You’re a priest?” Arthur asked Richard in shock.

Richard frowned. “Why does everyone say that?”

“Because you act more like a cantankerous old man with anger issues than you do a wise priest?” I asked rhetorically.

Richard glared at me. I shrugged, not seeing how I was wrong.

The three of us had taken on corner of the table, and were eating together. Katya and Jennifer were giggling over something. Considering the two girls, the topic could have been about fighting, fashion, or some new aspect of magic Katya was studying. Mountain and Hasha were talking with each other. I have no idea how, just that the elf and dog were somehow having a discussion. Something very odd about that dog…

“It was a requirement of the Chapel,” Richard said abruptly.

“What was?” I turned from my observation of Hasha telling Mountain a story.

“Becoming a priest,” Richard took a swig of ale. “I was just a soldier. The Arch-Bishop, he made me a priest when I came to teach and protect Katya. Said it was to keep the politicians off my back.”

“What, the Chapel ain’t above politics?” Arthur rasped.

Richard scoffed. “Fuck no. There are okay folk, like Father Mitchell and the little one there,” He waved to Katya, who was looking over Stormcall with a critical eye as Jennifer spoke to her. “But there’s politics wherever you go.”

“Not for me,” Arthur thumped his chest. “Self-made man. Never had to deal with that shit as a blacksmith.”

“Lucky you then,” Richard shrugged. “I suppose your shop will be busy now, once Katya starts going around in that armor of yours.”

“As long as no one asks us to make the exact same thing,” I winced. “Her armor cost as much as it takes to outfit a small group of soldiers. I still can’t believe you convinced the Chapel to pay for all those reagents and what not.”

“Perks of being the caretaker,” Richard said blithely. “As long as it’s for her protection, I get the full resources of the Chapel in whatever I do.”

“Must be hard not to misuse that sort of power,” I noted.

Richard shook his head. “No. Sweet girl like Katya? I’d never do anything that could hurt her.”

Arthur grunted in seeming approval.

On seeing Hasha nod as Mountain growled, I finally rose up and walked over to the elf and dog. Behind me, Arthur and Richard continued to speak.

When Hasha noticed me walk up he grinned. “Ah, Char, sit! I was just having a lovely conversation with our dear Mountain.”

“Yeah, I wanted to ask about that,” I looked at Mountain. The giant dog smiled and panted heavily. “Can… he talk?”

“Oh, not a bit,” Hasha smirked. “But I’ve learned a few things. First, his parentage. It turns out, a beast spirit of magic is in his ancestry. Fascinating, isn’t it?”

I quirked an eyebrow. “Spirits can have children?”

“In some rare cases,” Hasha shrugged. “Well, in truth they simply manipulate the genetic makeup of a fetus after it has been created, giving it a portion of their power, but it amounts to the same thing. I think, when this is all over, we should do some research into Mountain,” he gave Mountain a quick smile. “Uh, non-invasive of course.”

“Speaking of ancestry,” I looked at Hasha. “I was wondering what you could tell me about orcs.”

Hasha’s smile widened. “…Come by my workshop tomorrow. I have more than a few texts that might give you some answers, and I can tell you of my own experiences.”

I blinked. “Just like that?”

“Knowledge only comes when you’re willing to accept it,” Hasha nodded. “And you seem willing.”

Katya suddenly came in and wrapped Mountain in her arms. Well, tried to, her arms were too short. Still the big dog growled in happiness as Katya nuzzled him.

“What are you two talking about?” Jennifer asked. She held a flute of wine in her off-hand, and was sipping at it as she joined us.

“Genetics,” Hasha said smoothly. “Ah, Katya, have we looked into genetics yet?”

“Yes,” Katya’s voice was muffled against Mountain’s fur, but she still managed to smile with her eyes as she looked around the big dog.

“Hm…” he rubbed his chin. “Seem to burning through subjects quickly.”

“Yeah, how are you doing that?” I asked, my curiosity at the rapid pace of Katya’s learning under Hasha. “Weren’t you teaching her geology yesterday?”

“Trade secret,” Hasha answered simply. “Besides, I’m a wizard. It’s part of our mystique to keep secrets.”

I smirked at that. After a few more minutes of talking however, I started to feel a bit hot under the collar.

“Uh, Jennifer?” She turned from where she’d been making fun of Richard for something. “I’m going head outside, get a bit of air.”

“Oh, well then,” she smiled briefly. “Come back soon, okay?”

I headed for the back door. Walking through the empty kitchen, then through the area where food was stored, I opened the door that led outside, and found myself in an alleyway. An alley very similar to the one I’d been jumped in the day before meeting the Prophesied Child.

I took a deep breath of the night air, and licked my right tusk. I felt…good. Great even.

I’d made the best armor in my life, though I’d need to finish the helmet for Katya later tonight. My friends, new and old, were having fun in the building behind me. And Richard had been right earlier. Ignoring the large commission for making Katya’s armor, creating such an elaborate piece for a high profile client would bring a lot of business for the shop.

After all these years, after all the pain, things might finally be getting better. I felt at peace. I stood there, breathing the night air and remembering the best parts of the past days. Even with the random assassin that had tried to kill me, and those knights who’d done the same, there was more good than bad to enjoy.

I stood there for about a minute. Then, I turned to enter the brothel again, only to realize the door was locked. I shrugged, and turned to walk around.

A crossbow bolt slammed deep into my shoulder.

For a moment I didn’t understand what had happened. I looked at the piece of wood that had stabbed into my muscles as I staggered back under the kinetic force of the blow. Then, when the pain struck, I roared, my orc lungs erupting in pain and rage.

“Rush him, now!” I looked up to see a man in leather armor carrying an empty crossbow yelling at two men wearing steel plate as he reloaded. Two other men in leather armor stood alongside the crossbow user, brandishing knives.

As the men in armor rushed me, I felt a sense of familiarity.

“Back to normal then,” I growled, breaking the bolt in my shoulder away.

------

I reached into my satchel, ripping out the first of the three items I’d brought along for defense. As the men in armor rushed me, I threw the small bag on the ground, mentally activating the rune on it.

The bag, tied to rip open on impact, slammed onto the ground and released its contents. A rune of kenaz ignited and exploded the tiny amount of gunpowder inside the bag. The eruption sent shattered the vial in the bag, sending its contents outward in a cloud of vapor.

The men in steel armor charged into the cloud. Then they stopped. The wind was still, so I wasn’t getting a full dose. But I knew what they were feeling. The acidic feel of the vapor on their skin. The sudden realization as I watched their eyes widen. And finally, the smell. That horrendous, mind shattering smell.

“Skunk oil,” I explained to the paling pair of men. “Don’t leave home without it.”

Then the screaming started. They fell to the ground, clawing at their eyes and noses, trying to crawl away. The three men in leather stared at their friends in shock as they rolled on the ground.

I reached into my satchel, grabbing another item from it. The crossbow user, seeing me move, aimed his crossbow, but switched to grabbing a knife at his belt when he remembered he hadn’t reloaded. I had time to realize he was an elf with dark hair before a knife spun towards me. I ducked, feeling the blade fly above me, and quickly aimed my second tool.

A simple tube, attached to a handle with a massive lever jutting out of it. A variation on the gauntlet that I had killed Andrea with, the weapon was made of scavenged parts, and only in a brief window of time while making Katya’s armor. It would probably break after one use.

But I only needed one use.

I aimed roughly at the elf and fumbled for the lever. With a suddenness that surprised me, the lever pulled back.

The recoil of the weapon was followed by the sight of the elf yelping. He fell back, then screamed in horror when he saw the mess that had been his thigh. The single round that I’d fired had slammed into his right leg, turning the meat into something like a paste.

“Shit,” I stared at the now useless weapon in my hand. “Not much accuracy.”

On the inside, I was relieved. I hadn’t killed him.

I reached into my satchel again. The elf’s friends in leather armor stared at me in horror as I brought out my last tool.

A dagger. A simple, curved dagger. No runes, not even a particularly special one. Just something sharp that Richard had taught me how to fight with.

As adrenaline filled me, I glared at the last two. “There are two ways this can go. We fight, and I kill you,” with the growling dark tones of my voice, I could tell both men believed me, “or you run, and we never see each other again.”

Both men shared a look. Slowly as their friends screamed in pain on the floor, they took a step back. Then they looked behind me. The way they sighed in relief brought a cold feeling into the pit of my stomach.

I looked behind me. From the other end of the alley, ten more men were rushing. As I watched, two of them pointed crossbows at me.

“Oh come on,” I growled under my breath.

Then two bolts slammed into me, both in my right pectoral.. I shouted, taking a step back as pain once more blossomed in my chest. The men rushed towards me as the crossbowmen reloaded. One man swung at me with his longsword, his armor shining in the dim light.

In a quick move, I parried the blade with my large dagger, grabbed the man by the arm and pulled him close. He yelped before I lifted him up and threw him at his friends. I caught his blade as it fell, leaving me with a longsword in one hand and a dagger in the other. I roared at the men facing me. As my lungs and throat shook with the force of my voice them, their eyes widened. They backed away slowly, fear on their faces. At first, I wondered if they’d actually decided superior numbers and weaponry wasn’t enough.

Then I noticed the shadow at my feet lengthening thanks to a new source of light behind me. I turned around.

“Ugh,” falling to the ground, one of the two men that had been behind me fell. The other was already out.

Katya glowed with power. She glared at the men facing me. “You will not touch him.”

“Oh thank god,” I sighed in relief.

“The Child,” the man I’d thrown whispered.

“Get them!” A very suicidal man cried out. He charged forward, his friends rallying behind him.

Katya jumped upwards. Twin jets of flame erupted from her back, shooting her up higher as she cried out. For the first time I’d ever seen her in a fight, she seemed angry. Not giggling or smiling, but almost snarling.

On the apex of her leap, she drew out Stormcall. The sword, glowing with electricity, sliced as it came down. She landed on top of the suicidal man with a loud ‘crunch!’ As he fell under her, she rolled, dodging a slash, and came up to stab one man in the shoulder. Stormcall blazed, and the man screamed at the electricity pouring through him.

The man who’d slashed at her tried to attack her from behind. So I grabbed him by the back of his armor just as he stepped forward, lifted him up, and slammed him into the ground the way Richard had taught me. I spun and roared, by tusks flashing in the light. Katya cried out.

Somewhere behind us, I heard Mountain barking, and Richard and Jennifer yelling. Katya and I charged the group. One of the crossbowmen fired at Katya’s chest.

I felt a burst of pride when the bolt bounced off her armor, not even scratching the finish. Katya responded by creating a rope of Light and pulling the man in. She slashed into his thigh, sending him screaming to the ground as electricity flowed over him, and blood poured from his wound.

I clumsily dealt with another attacker, blocking his blade with my purloined longsword, then simply tackling him. He took out a dagger and stabbed it into my leg before my massive weight slammed him into a wall.

Two men stepped towards Katya, trying to attack her as one. But they had none of the skill of any of the knights who had tried that before. Whereas Katya now had my armor strengthening and speeding up her body in every way, and Stormcall as well. In a few bursts of Light and electricity, the men were on the ground and whimpering.

Four men were left standing. The others were out. Two were lying on the ground soaked in concentrated skunk oil, knocked unconscious by the strong smell. One man was bleeding from a massive thigh wound cause by my weapon. Six had been directly knocked out by Katya, two by me.

I came up behind Katya as she flourished Stormcall. We both glared at the last four men. They took a step back.

I growled. Katya stepped forward.

They ran.

As they did, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned, thinking it was Mountain, Richard, and the others.

Instead, I saw men in city guard uniforms running towards us. About twenty men in all. One of them, apparently the officer in charge, stared around in shock at the groaning men, his face filling with disgust when he passed the spot my skunk oil bomb had exploded. Then he noticed me.

“D-Don’t move!”

At his shout, the other guards swung their blades to point at me. I stepped back, hands up in a placating gesture.

“What’s going on!?”Katya stepped around me to look at the group.

“Miss, step away from the orc before he kills you!” one of the guards yelled.

“He’s my friend!” Katya sheathed Stormcall, frowning. “Those men tried to kill him!”

“Lady Katya!” Behind the guards circling us, Richard, Jennifer, Hasha, Arthur, and Mountain ran up.

As the massive form of Mountain came up, a few of the guards panicked, pointing between orc and dog as they tried to decide which was more dangerous.

Richard came up to Katya, only for the officer in charge of guards to stop him. “Sir, I need you step back!”

“I am Richard Dedicat of Chapel of Valor, and I demand to know why you are pointing swords at the Prophesied Child!” Richard seemed ready to start cutting people apart, and the officer in charge flinched.

“T-The Child?” one of the guards said. They all stared at Katya, who frowned back. Unlike her usual pouts, there was something vicious in her appearance now.

“Sir, we need to take the orc into custody,” the officer gestured at the men on the ground. “If he attacked these men—”

“He didn’t attack them, they tried to kill him!” Katya protested. Mountain came up to her and glared at the guards.

“Were you there from the start?” the officer asked.

Katya blinked. “W-Well, no, but—”

“I was defending myself,” I cut in.

“Be that as it may sir, I still need to take you in for questioning. And a few of these men will need medical attention,” Katya frowned, and the officer hastened to continue. “T-THe Orcling as well of course. We'll get him patched up. We won’t charge him for anything, but we need to know what happened. If they did attack him, then we need to know why.”

“…Then you’re taking me in too.”

“What,” I said, staring at Katya. She nodded firmly.

“I was attacked as well, and I took out more of these men than Char did. You need to arrest me.”

The officer stared at her, as Richard’s eye twitched. I could see the others standing behind the line of guards, watching. Jennifer quirked an eyebrow at the way things were going. Arthur was clenching his fists, looking like he was half a second from simply attacking the guards. Hasha’s face showed no emotion whatsoever, but his eyes seemed to gleam in the light of Katya’s still glowing form.

“You cannot arrest the Prophesied Child!” Richard roared.

The officer’s eyes narrowed. “Sir, you may be a member of the Chapel, but I am a city guard officer. These two were involved in an altercation with twelve men who are in need of medical attention. I am required by law to take them all in for questioning. Now, I’ll have them treated well, as I would any other citizen, but I need to take them in.”

Richard looked like he was ready to yell again. But then he looked at Katya.

She stared into his eyes, unyielding. The look they shared was full of something I couldn’t define. When it was over, Richard nodded.

The officer breathed out in relief. He gestured, and two guards came up with chains. Katya held out her hands, and chains were placed more gently than should have been possible. Mine were put on with just as much respect, and we were guided to a carriage made of hard wood, with iron bars over the windows. Stormcall was taken by the officer. After a moment of hesitation, he handed the longsword to Richard, who took it without a word. Mountain whined, moving to follow us, only for Richard step in front of him. The dog gave Katya a heartbreaking look, then sat on his haunches, whining.

As I passed Arthur, Jennifer, and Hasha, I gave them a nod. Arthur closed his eyes, his fists tightening further. Hasha and Jennifer shared a glance.

Then Katya and I were in the carriage, sitting on roughly hewn benches. The officer followed with two guards. I heard someone yell outside, then felt the carriage shudder under us. I tried to get a last glimpse of the others, but only saw the massive form of Mountain. He reared his head back and howled towards the sky as we were taken away.